Phased Delivery

Custody of Preservation Digital Reproductions

Traditionally, service copies of microfilm and preservation paper facsimiles formerly called
preservation photocopies) are in the custody of public service units responsible for managing
and delivering collection items. With digital reproductions, custodial responsibility becomes
a collective effort. The Preservation Reformatting Division (PRD) will undertake custodianship
of preservation digital reproductions, in collaboration with relevant Library units such as
Information Technology Services (ITS), in direct proportion to the level of resources available
in a custodial division to perform this work. As the level of these types of resources in
custodial divisions increases, PRD will decrease its role as custodian.

Delivery of Preservation Digital Reproductions

The Preservation Reformatting Division will also take responsibility for the full range of
activities required to deliver digitally-reformatted materials online, in collaboration with
relevant Library units such as Information Technology Services and other partners, in direct
proportion to the level of resources available in a custodial division or supporting service
unit to perform this work. As the level of these types of resources in custodial divisions and
supporting service units increases, PRD will decrease its role in the online delivery of
preservation digital reproductions.

Guidelines for Creation and Delivery of Digital Reproductions

The Preservation Reformatting Division has established the following guidelines for
creation and delivery of digital reproductions:

Minimum preservation requirements for digital reformatting
— Based on the principles and specifications
outlined for preservation digital reformatting, emphasis is placed on:

high-quality master digital files that allow for a broad range of future use

searchable full-text (dirty OCR) with minimal encoding (when appropriate), or other
modest access aids such as guides, and

the use of relevant standards and best practice, whenever possible

Phased delivery — Minimum preservation requirements for
digital reformatting should result in a baseline digital reproduction that can be used
conveniently, but also expanded or elaborated on at any time, by any party, through:

processing new or different versions of digital images for use in new delivery
contexts